Honey Ginger Macarons
Whip up these honey ginger macarons with a simple but unique honey ginger buttercream, and an optional but fabulous edible honeycomb topper.
Ingredients
Important Note: If you use the recipe scale function, it will only convert the amounts on the left, not the notes in parenthesis on the right or any amounts written in the instructions)
Macaron Shells
- 130 grams Egg Whites Approximately 4-5 Large Eggs (Use scale)
- 120 grams Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar
- 200 grams Almond Flour
- 200 grams Confectioner’s Sugar
- 1 pinch of Salt
- 4 drop Americolor Lemon Yellow Gel Food Coloring
- ½-1 drop Americolor or Wilton Brown Gel Food Coloring
Honey Ginger Buttercream
- 4 oz Salted Butter
- 3 TBS Honey
- 8 oz Powdered Sugar
- 1 tsp Ground Ginger plus a bit for garnish
- 1 TBS Heavy Cream
- 1 Pinch of Salt Optional
Decoration
- 8 oz white chocolate chips
- 3-5 sheets of Edible Gold Leaf
- 1 square foot of bubble wrap
Instructions
Macaron Shells
- Line 2 upside down baking sheets with a silicone mat or parchment paper (circle template optional but recommended).
- Place a medium/large round piping tip (2A) in a large piping bag. Twist the bag right behind the tip and add a clip to seal off the opening. Place the bag tip down into either a clean tall cup with the edges folded over the rim to keep the bag open, or clip it into a bag holder.
- Using a kitchen scale, carefully weigh out and sift the confectioner’s sugar and almond flour into a medium mixing bowl. Whisk well to fully blend the two together.
- Place egg whites, granulated sugar, and cream of tartar into a large mixing bowl, and begin beating with a whisk attachment using either a handheld mixer or a stand mixer for 2 minutes on a medium low speed (Kitchen Aid Speed 4).
- Turn up the mixer to a medium speed (Kitchen Aid Speed 6) and beat for an additional 2 minutes.
- Add the gel food coloring.
- Turn the mixer up to medium high speed (Kitchen Aid Speed 8) and beat for 3 more minutes, or until peaks are very stiff and the meringue clumps up in a ball in the center of the whisk. Test stiffness by removing the whisk and pointing it upward. (See photo in post) Once the peaks can hold their shape flipped upright, your meringue is ready.
- Pour half of the almond flour/confectioner’s sugar mixture into the bowl with the meringue, and fold 15 times. One fold is scraping all the way around the edge of the batter in the bowl, and then pressing your spatula through the middle. Be sure to scoop around the bottom of the bowl and lift as well so you don’t miss any dry ingredients.
- Pour in the remaining powdered sugar and almond flour, and continue folding (approximately 30 more folds) until dry ingredients are fully incorporated, the batter is no longer clumpy and stiff. Do not overfold. Please note this recipe stays a bit thicker than most, and should not be folded to the traditional figure 8 test consistency. Start checking your batter’s readiness every 5 folds or so at this point by scraping all batter down to the bottom of your bowl, and then wiggling your bowl back and forth several times. If the batter levels out with a few subtle peaks and lines remaining, it should be ready. The batter should not be completely flat/smooth, this is what it looks like when it's over mixed. (See photos of correct batter consistency in Basic French Macarons post for reference.)
- Pour batter into the prepared piping bag, and twist the opening off. Hold your bag at the twist between your thumb and pointer finger. Remove the clip by the tip.
- Holding the piping bag straight up and down, apply pressure to begin piping your batter in the center of your circle templates, releasing pressure once you are a few millimeters short of your desired size. After you release pressure, use a small quick circular flick to release your tip from the piped macaron.
- Once you’ve piped a full tray, firmly bang the tray on the counter a few times to pop any air bubbles and smooth out shells. Pop any remaining large bubbles with a toothpick. Repeat with the second tray immediately.
- Begin preheating your oven to 300℉, using an oven thermometer if possible to ensure accurate temperature readings.
- Set aside shells to dry until they form a skin and are no longer tacky to the touch. Once you can gently run a finger over your shells, they are ready to bake. Use a fan to speed up the process, rotating the tray every few minutes to ensure even drying. This usually takes at least 16-20 minutes for me even with a fan.
- Once the shells are dry, and the oven has fully preheated to 300℉, place one tray in the center of the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 18 minutes.
- Quickly open door to check the shell’s doneness by gently pressing on the side just above the feet to see if it’s firm. If it moves at all, rotate the tray and bake for another 2 minutes.
- Check shells by performing the same test, pressing on the side. If they are still unstable, bake for one more minute, and check again. Repeat until shells are firm and do not budge.
- Repeat the bake with the second tray.
- Allow shells to cool completely, and then carefully remove them from the silicone mat or parchment paper by gently peeling them off.
Honey Ginger Buttercream
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and honey together until light and fluffy.
- Add in powdered sugar (and optional salt) and beat until fluffy. Scrape down the sides of your bowl periodically.
- Add in the ginger and beat until incorporated. Do not over mix or your buttercream will become soupy. If it does, pop it in the fridge for awhile and then try beating it again in the mixer, and it should come back together.
- Add in heavy cream and beat on a low speed until combined. Add salt to taste to balance sweetness.
Assembly
- Match each shell with a partner shell of equal size.
- Wait to fill macarons until the shells are fully cooled. Using a piping bag with a large round piping tip (like a 1A) pipe a dollop of honey ginger buttercream.
- Sprinkle more ground ginger on each dollop of buttercream before sandwiching.
- Gently sandwich the matching shell on top.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for 24 hours to allow the macarons to “mature” and fully develop their flavor and texture.
Decoration
- Wash and dry one square foot of bubble wrap, and set aside.
- Place white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl.
- In a microwave safe cup or bowl, heat the white chocolate for 30 seconds, and then stir.
- Repeat until chocolate is partially melted, and then shorten time intervals to 10 seconds. Do not overheat or the chocolate will burn. Stir well after each heating in the microwave.
- Once only small lumps of chocolate remain, stir well until smooth as residual heat melts the remaining chocolate.
- Spread a thin even layer of white chocolate on to the bubble side of the bubble wrap, and allow it to set completely. (Refrigerate to speed up the process)
- Carefully peel off the bubble wrap from the chocolate, and then break into small organic shaped pieces.
- Using a small brush, add a very small amount of water to your chocolate in the places you plan on adding gold leaf to.
- Once again using a small brush, tap down on to your gold leaf sheet and carefully pull away a small amount. Place it on your honeycomb pieces by gently setting it down making as little contact with the brush as possible.
- Attach finished honeycomb pieces to the macarons using melted chocolate, or buttercream.
Notes
Skip the resting process with Oven Drying. See How to Oven Dry Macarons Post for more details.
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